What is Crohn’s disease? The symptoms, causes and remedies you need to know

Crohn’s disease generally causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, and weight loss. It’s fairly common and affects people of all ages. There is no cure, but treatment can provide some symptom relief.

Here, we round up everything there is to know about the type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including the symptoms, causes and even some natural remedies you can try yourself at home, so you can be sure you’re clued up.

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system. Most commonly this happens in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).

What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?

Symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and will differ from person to person. The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease include:

Diarrhoea

Abdominal pain (stomach cramps)

Tiredness and fatigue

Unintended weight loss

Loss of appetite

Mouth ulcers

Blood and mucus in your faeces (stools)

Sufferers can sometimes go for long periods without symptoms or with very mild symptoms (known as remission), which can then be followed by periods where symtoms flare up and become troublesome.

How common is it?

It’s estimated that Crohn’s disease affects one in every 650 people in the UK (about 115,000 people). It can be found in people of all ages, including children, although most cases first develop between the ages of 16 and 30 and a large number of cases develop between the ages of 60 and 80. It is also slightly more common in women.

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